Oklahoma Law Would Require a Man's Approval for an Abortion

Rep. Justin Humphrey, the Oklahoma lawmaker who introduced a bill requiring a man’s approval before a woman can get an abortion.

Oklahoma State Legislature

An Oklahoma lawmaker introduced a bill requiring women in the state to get their sexual partner's approval before undergoing an abortion because, as the author of the bill said in an interview, women are just "hosts."

House Bill 1441 says: “No abortion shall be performed in this state without the written informed consent of the father of the fetus.”

The bill would also require the woman to give her sexual partner's name to her doctor in writing and allow him to demand a paternity test, which would delay the abortion. There are exceptions for rape or incest, or if the pregnancy puts the woman's life in danger, according to The Huffington Post.

Oklahoma state Rep. Justin Humphrey, a Republican lawmaker in his first term, introduced the bill on January 9, according to The Intercept. It was eventually tabled by the House Public Health Committee, but the bill is back on the committee's agenda.

A similar law was struck down by the Supreme Court in 1992, The Intercept noted.

In an interview with The Intercept, Rep. Humphrey said the initial aim of the bill was to ensure fathers paid child support, but that language, he said, was removed from the bill. He then offered more explanation:

“I believe one of the breakdowns in our society is that we have excluded the man out of all of these types of decisions. I understand that they [women] feel like that is their body. I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host.’ And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant. So that’s where I’m at. I’m like, hey, your body is your body and be responsible with it. But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”

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Lawmakers are expected to discuss the bill on Tuesday, which is, of course, Valentine's Day.